Goals for 2012

In the past at the end of the year, I would sit down with a cup of tea, a notepad, and a pen and furiously write down everything that I wanted to change. Which really, seemed like everything. My resolutions were never realistic for my life. There would be, "lose twenty pounds and grow four inches taller," or "find a job and make ten thousand dollars." Looking back, I realised that I had these "goals" because I wasn't looking at what my life did offer, and what God had already given me! So often I would be showered in blessings but could only see the flaws and mistakes. So, this year I only have one resolution. I'll always have goals, because goals keep me motivated, inspired, and driven, but as for resolutions, only one makes the cut this year. 

My resolution: To love as Christ loves me.

Yes, this isn't an overnight kind of resolution. It will take patience, determination, and a whole lot of kindness. But that's what God wants for my life, and for every unique human being out there. It will be an ongoing transformation. Every day I hope to learn more and more about Jesus. I hope for Him to reveal new and exciting things to me, and this is something I have full trust in. Because unlike my lofty and unrealistic "resolutions" before, this one I have faith in. And, this one is far more exciting than losing twenty pounds. ;)


I may have only one resolution for twenty-twelve, but I have an abundance of goals! Goals to help keep me inspired, creative, and joyful. Here we gooo....





1. Wear more colour. Sometimes I get in a rut of wearing jeans, black, and white. And to be honest, it's not nearly as fun as bold florals and mustard yellows! In 2012 I want to incorporate happy pieces into my wardrobe, such as the three photos below:

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2. Become camera savvy. Photography is something that brings me so much joy. I love capturing special moments, beauty, and colour. I recently found two vintage cameras of my grandma's from the 1960's, and have been attempting to figure them out. And oh boy, it's quite the challenge. I'm also on the hunt for some film, so I can take some genuine vintage-style photos! 

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3. Journal and reflect everyday. Whether it be in my actual journal, or here on my blog, my goal is to write everyday. I have always loved to write and share simple stories. There are so many thoughts running through my mind all day, that putting them on paper is the best.

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4. Create drool-worthy creations Like that cake. And those pretzels. And possibly a three cheese parsley souffle. And don't forget the tiramisu cheesecake. Heaven.

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5. Take photos like these:

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6. Get crafty. Ever since I discovered Pinterest and a beautiful mess blog, I realised how much I adore crafting. My goal is to create fun and creative DIY ideas to turn into projects. 

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7. Create a photo board for my room. Think something along the lines of the picture below, but add more photography!

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8. Laugh more. Chuckle. Giggle. Find happiness in the little things. How? Cue next goal... :)

9. Spend more time with friends. I'm a little bit of a nerd. No, a hard-core nerd. So, I spend a lot of time at my desk "homeworking" and studying. I can be over-ambitious at times, and unknowingly neglect important people in my life. But something I love a lot more than school work are my friends. My final goal for 2012 is to make unforgettable memories with my friends and just enjoy! :) 

What goals are you working towards this new year?

Much love, Vivi

Nail Tutorial~ silver and purple

Today I have an easy yet striking nail tutorial to share! All you need to create this look is two nail colours of your choice and some tape! This is the nail look that I had over Christmas and I loved it. Ready? Here we go...

1. First, apply a solid colour to all of your nails. I chose a soft lilac from Rimmel, but feel free to experiment with any shade. This polish is absolutely amazing. It's reasonably priced, and the brush glides on like a dream!

2. After waiting for the lilac polish to dry completely, place two seperate pieces of tape across your nails. This will create a V-shape.

3. Once all of your nails are ready to go with the tape, paint over the uncovered part of your nails with a silver polish. ( Or any colour of your choice) Don't worry about keeping the polish perfectly between the lines, go ahead and be messy!

4. Peel off the tape and be impressed with yourself. Waa-laah! Your nail look is complete, and all the messy tape goes staright into the bin!

This is the silver nail polish I used to create the triangle tips. Try and experiment with the colour combonations. I once used a black crackle polish on the tips and it created a very dramatic look.

Much love, Vivi

Reflections

These photos were taken late Christmas eve 2011. And even though all I wanted to do was snuggle by the fire place with a boiling pot of tea, I couldn't resist taking a few snaps. Something about fresh falling raindrops is so serene and beautiful, I can't get enough of them! The sunset was also particularily beautiful, with whisps of thin clouds lining the evening sky. I can hardly believe that Christmas has come and gone, and now it's time for 2012! Can I hear a whooot whooot?! I am so excited for the new year. Enjoy the last four days of the year!

Much love, Vivi

A Natural Christmas

the most beautiful holly from our backyard

 

 our mini Christmas tree! Can you spot the parrot?



 December sky

Here are some scenes from our Christmas holiday. Our holly tree looks most beautiful at wintertime with thousands of bright red berries. And those pine cones? I'd say they are the easiest DIY Christmas decoration. We had collected a selection of pine cones years ago for underneath our tree, and this year decided to spruce them up with some gold spray paint! They ended up looking so good that we made silver ones as well! I love handmade touches to Christmas because they instantly add thought and stories into your rooms. And, people won't believe that you made them! Have a merry Christmas!

Much love, Vivi 

A whole lotta green

I bought this scarf two years ago, and since then it has been warming the upper shelf of my closet. Then, one happy morning it fell down on me and we've been insepearable since. Don't you just love it when your closet gives you little surprises like that? I've been wearing lots of chunky knits this winter, and raved about them in this post. Something else I'm loving? EGGNOG. Why is it we only drink it at Christmas?!

Much love, Vivi

//The Details

scarf: Ardenes

cardigan: Bluenotes

Boots: Sterling

white V-neck: Bluenotes

watch: Tommy Hilfiger

ring: vintage gift from my mom
belt: thrifted

It's the little things...

                                              ... like clear winter skies

Much love, Vivi

Day 19

This morning I was feeling pleasantly comfortable with my braces. Almost too comfortable. The fact that I couldn't feel them when I woke up actually worried me. They had been so painful that the absence of pain gave me more of a shock than the pain did! So, I checked them out in the mirror out of curiosity. Imagine my surprise when a little something was missing. Wait, isn't there supposed to be a hunk of metal on that tooth?! Mmhmm. I swallowed a bracket. I panicked. I may have even whimpered. Sooo, if I swallowed a bracket.... that means it's inside me turning my insides to shreads.. right? Well, according to the orthodontist, swallowing brackets is perfectly normal! She told me that people come in all the time with missing brackets that have disappeared to who knows where! Whew. I did feel somewhat relieved to know that no one had died from bracket consumption before. Next thing I knew, another bracket was being cemented on (yes, they actually call it cement!) and I was free to go. They even gave me more floss! Score.


The second week of braces is almost at a close and it already feels like a month has passed. I've swallowed a bracket, coped through a class debate with a lisp, and flossed like a maniac. First two weeks are going pretty well, I'd say!

Andddd here is a picture!

Much love, Vivi

Cue the Christmas baking

Christmas baking has officially begun! And what better way to start than with some classic cupcakes. I went a little crazy with the icing and decided to made six different flavours. The result was a definite success!

Flavours from left to right: coconut mocha, chocolate almond, vanilla coconut, and mint chocolate.

Om nom nom nom...

Meet the coconut  mocha family! They're quite shy, so let me introduce you...  The bottom two cupcakes are chocolate cake with almond icing and shredded coconut, the two cupcakes to the right are chocolate cake with mocha icing and shredded coconut. Last but not least, the suckers to the left are chocolate cake with mocha icing and chocolate sprinkles. Whew.



Hope you enjoyed and are inspired! Happy Christmas baking!

Much love, Vivi

chunky knits

Happy December!! I can't believe that Christmas is just around the corner. Soon the house will smell like pine cones and Christmas treats, and the tree will be twinkling with lights. Tomorrow is our day for decorating, and I can't wait to start the baking! With my sweet tooth it's hard to believe that the baking hasn't begun yet, but believe me, when it does start, oh, it shall be glorious.

One thing I really love during the winter time are chunky knits. Scarves, sweaters, socks, and cozy little beanies are perfect for warming up during these cold winter months. Here are some knit beauties that I've discovered! 

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Don't they just make you want to cuddle?

Much love, Vivi